Bhopal Gas Tragedy: The Long Road To Disposal

Four decades later, 337-tonne of toxic waste in addition to 1.1 million tonnes of contaminated soil inches slowly towards disposal, writes Ashish Bhatia.

- Ashish Bhatia.

On my first trip to Bhopal, subconsciously, I was gripped by the anxiety of breathing in perhaps the toxicity left behind in the aftermath of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984. Four decades later, it is etched in the nightmares of localities. Driver Brijesh recalls the fatal accident and the alteration of the daily lives of the citizens as he goes about earning his livelihood. Sealed and locked away like a bad memory, the factory of Union Carbide (India) Ltd., is a landmark for tourists, but toxic waste disposal has long been a prime concern for localities. It is well known how several court orders later, hundreds of tonnes of toxic waste remained at the UCIL site. A 2010 government study quantified it to 337-tonnes of toxic waste in addition to 1.1 million tonnes of soil known to have been contaminated. Even the groundwater is allegedly laced with toxic substances and heavy metals. Brijesh said it was a compromise for Bhopal residents they lived with.

Numerous petitions are pending with the High Court and the Supreme Court for the safe disposal of toxic waste from the UCIL site. Things finally moved. Back in a